Someone clicked on Amazon that they found my Garmin nuvi 760 review helpful so I will repeat it here:

Great Navigation but Useless Features and Broken Button, February 26, 2009

I really like the Garmin GPS navigators and wouldn’t take a trip without one anymore. I got this particular model free in a promotion from TD Ameritrade. Its got more features than I need: haven’t used bluetooth. I did try the traffic reports during the free trial but found it sometimes reported jams that weren’t there so I dropped it.
My biggest issue is that the power off button doesn’t seem to work. Usually it will ask to be powered off when I shut off the car which is an ok backup. Trouble is, it sometimes just stays on until the Garmin battery dies.
I also wish it had a volume knob accessible to the driver. As it is you need to use the touch screen which is a no-no while in motion.

Click here for all the Garmins

Tags: gadget, garmin, gps, nuvi

David Meerman Scott made a promo video of his World Wide Rave book.  Yours truly shows up at about 1:07

Aside from the gratification of finding myself on YouTube, I post this because I’ve been meaning to comment on the fact that another of David’s suggestions is working out well.

David set an example of giving away totally free content in a blog post earlier this year.   He advocates just letting it rip, no registration required.   Contrast this with advice aplenty around internet marketing circles that one has to collect contact info from a giveaway download.  Conversely, so the common wisdom goes, one must offer t to indhe giveaway to induce people to give up their contact info.

I admit to a little trepedation when I posted the first issue of BackTesting Report as a totally free  download.   Now, one month later, I can compare the two tactics:  totally free vs sign-up required.    In January 2009, I offered an excerpt of the same document for anyone who gave me an email address and first name. 

The results are stunning.   Downloads of the totally free document soared 1100% in free Feb vs registration-required Jan.   The thing that really blew me away is that roughly the same percentage of site visitors added their contact info to the mailing list.  This is despite the fact that there is no longer a ”bribe”, simply an offer to keep the list informed as new BackTesting Reports become available.

Clearly, a free download gives the material greater circulation and people will still sign up for a mailing list if they want news on a topic that interests them.

Thanks David!

Tags: BackTesting Report, viral marketing, WorldWideRave

Trying out the new QuickPress feature in WordPress 2.7.1. by uploading some favorite ski pics from the last trip. These two were taken on the Dipper Line run under the Dipper Express chair at Heavenly ski resort in South Lake Tahoe.   The bottom one is a view of the very calm lake from the top of the Nevada side of the resort.

 Updated 04/03/09:  Turns out that leaving the pics unsized wrecked the formating with some browsers.   Should be fixed now.

Tags: heavenly, lake tahoe, ski

I’ve always thought this was one of the prettiest sights.  I try to get even non-skiing friends up the gondola just to see it.  Now, here’s the views coming to you in a few videos from a ride down the Heavenly gondola.

This is the best way home after skiing for me. I’d rather ski all the way down but skiing to the base lodges ends up in a bus ride. As you will see, the last stretch of the gondola is over flat land with little snow to boot, so I don’t ski down this slope either.

Anyway, I get to enjoy the breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding mountains while I loosen my boots.

Here’s the first part of the ride: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLk9L3g9uFk

The second part is where the scenery cranks up. Its also where I had the not-so-bright idea to rotate the camera for portrait shots partway down. The car didn’t go spinning like that but its kind of a fun effect.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2DmnS5d-qU  )

Here’s another, lower down the mountain in the trees:
 

One more in the trees: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdK0oYc7U6k  

Here’s the flat “home stretch”…well I put my camera way before we sailed over the little motels and into the main plaza. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0HcBjIUGgM  

There you have it. My little collection of Heavenly Gondola videos

Tags: gondola, heavenly, lake tahoe, mountain, ski

Just for fun, take a look at these lift rides at Heavenly ski resort.   If you’re stuck at the computer too much this will give you a good feel for the great outdoors in a mountain setting.

The first is on a snowy day.   Note the boader making a little jump right at the beginning.

Then check out this sunny day - same lift, same runs:

Finally, here’s the expert section of the ski run, further up the mountain:

Tags: heavenly, lift ride, ski